Four policemen killed in gun battle with Maoists

Nagpur, Oct 26 (IANS) Four police personnel, including a sub-inspector, were killed and as many were injured Sunday in a fierce gun battle with Maoist guerrillas in Karepalli village of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra, the police said.The shootout took place when a police patrol of 18 was ambushed by Maoists in a heavily forested area near Rajaramkhanla police sub-station in Aheri sub-district, Gadchiroli police control room officer Ashok Iyer told IANS.

While the bodies of the killed policemen were taken to the district headquarters, the four injured constables were brought here for treatment by a chopper, Iyer said.

Gadchiroli district is about 200 km from here.

Senior police officials, including Additional Director General of Police (anti-Naxalite operations) Pankaj Gupta, have rushed to the spot.

Details about the Maoist cadre or casualties, if any, were not immediately known.